Milk cooler and strainer



L. F. BUTMAN AND C. E. BIXBY. MILK cooLER AND STRAHIIER. APPLICATION FILED AUG.22, I9I9.

1,346,937. Patented July 2o, 41920.

i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VLEWIS F. BUTMAN, or RANDOLPH, AND CHANCY n. BIXRY, or BARRE, VERMONT.

MILK COOLER AND vST]3}AI1\l'ElIEt.

To all/whom it may concern'.

Be it known that we, LEWIS F..BUTMAN and CHANCY E. BIXBY, citizens of the United States, residing at Randolph and Barre, res ectively, in thel counties of Orange ang Vashington, respectively, and State of Vermont, have inventedv certain new and useful Improvements in Milk Coolers and Strainers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to devices for treating milk, and particularly to a means for cooling milk as it is placed in cans Aand straining the milk. Y

The general object of our invention is to provide a very simple construction for this purpose which embodies a cylindrical ice container adapted to be inserted in a milk can, and a cap closing the ice container and supporting an annular strainer, a funnel, and means for directing milk in a lm against the ice container.

A further object is to provide means for bracing the strainer from the ice container, said means also providing for the support of the device properly centered within the mouth of a milk can.

Other objects will appear in the course of the following description.

Our invention is illustrated inthe accom panying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of our milk cooler and strainer'showing in dotted lines the application of the device to a can of milk;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the milk cooler and strainer. Y

Referring/to these drawings, it will be.

seen that this cooler and strainer comprises a cylindrical ice receptacle 10, closed at its bottom, open at its top, and of a length suflicient, preferably, so that the bottom of the receptacle will rest upon the bottom of the metallic can A. Adapted to close the top of the ice receptacle is a conical cap 11 having a depending ange fitting snugly over the ice receptacle, and attached to the margin of this cap and extending horizontally outward therefrom is an annular strainer of wire gauze, designated 12, and having a diameter slightly. less than the diameter of the mouth of the can. Extending upward from the margin of the wire gauze is an upwardly flaring hopper-shaped receiver or funnel 13. Connecting the lower Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 20,1920.

Application led August 22, 1919. SerialNo. 319,200.

edge of this funnel with the flange 14 of the cap are the upwardly and outwardly extending braces 15 which may be made of light wire. v

Coacting with the strainer and member 13 is means for directing the milk passing through the strainer against the upper end of the ice container 10 so that the milk will flow down. this ice container in the form of a thinv film and thus be more thoroughly cooled than it otherwise would be. To this end, the lower end of the member 13 is provided with a downwardly extending, annular flange 16, and fitting this flange snugly is an annular member 17 having a downwardly and centrally inclined, annular bottom 18 which, when the member is in place,

terminates at a relatively small distancev from the ice container 10. This member acts to deflect the milk passing through the strainer 12 against the wall of the ice container. Preferably, the upper edge of the member 17 is outwardly beaded, as at 19, so as to prevent the member 17 from slipping downward into the can A under any circumstances. It will be seen that the proportions of this device are such that the member 17 fits snugly within the neck of the milk can A, the strainer fits snugly into the member 17 with its cap 1l over the top of the ice container, and the ice container rests on the bottom of the can inthe manner illustrated in 11 is disposed thereon and the ice container inserted within the metallic can A so as to rest upon the bottom thereof with the funnel or receiver 13 disposed to project into the mouth of the metalliccan. 'Milk is then poured into the receiver and passes downward through the wire gauze into the milk can. The milk or other liquid is caused to run down the periphery of the cooler 10 in small streams or thin films so that the milk is readily cooled by the salt and ice within the container 10. This device is left in the can until the milk is cooled to the temperature desired, when it may be withdrawn and refilled and disposed in another can. The device is very simple and is thoroughly practical. It forms a convenient means .for

simultaneously straining and cooling milkV or other liquids.

While we have illustrated a form of our invention which is extremely simple and which has been found thoroughly effective in use, yet we do not wish to be limited thereto, as many minor modifications might be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention as deined in the'H Y ceptacle but spaced slightly therefrom when appended claims.

We claim l. A device of the character described comprising an ice receptacle adapted to be disposed within a milk can and lhaving a removable cap at its upper end, an annular receiver surrounding` the cap and projecting above it, a wire gauze strainer attached Ato the lower edge of the receiver and extending to the cap, the receiver having an annular Piange extending downward below the strainer, and an annular member formed to fit snugly upon the exterior of the last named langeand having a portion extending downward and inward toward the ice receptacle but spaced slightly therefrom when in operative position.

2. A device of the ycharacter described comprising anice receptacle adapted to be disposed within a milk can and having a removable cap at its upper end, an annular receiver, surrounding the capand projecting above it, a wire gauze strainer attached to the lower edge of the receiver and extending to the cap, the receiver having an annular Hange extending downward below the named flange and having a portion extending downward and inward i'rom the ice rein operative position, the uppery edge of the ,annular vmember .being outwardly turned and beaded.

3. A device of the character described comprising an ice receptacle adapted to be disposed within a milk can and .having a movable cap at its upper end7 an annular receiver mounted upon and surrounding the cap and projecting above it, a strainer attached to the lower edge of the receiver and extending to thev cap, and a deflector .formed to detachablyV engage the lower portion of the receiver and having a portion; .disposed below the strainer and extending downward and inward from the receiver into a position adjacent to but spaced slightly. from the ice receptacle to thereby deiiect the milk discharged from the receiver into contact Awith the wall of the ice'receptacle. y

In testimony whereof we hereunto vailix our signatures.

LEWIS F. BUTMAN; cHANcY E. BixBY, 

